A year ago, Braxton Miller limped off at the height of Ohio State’s game at Nebraska and never returned that night. The Buckeyes went on to suffer the largest blown lead — 21 points — in the history of the program in the 34-27 loss.

Last week at Michigan State. Miller twice had to leave the game. But he returned both times, and the dual-threat quarterback was instrumental in the Buckeyes’ final possession, during which they killed the final four minutes in the 17-16 win.

Does that mean that Miller has learned to play with pain just a little more? Maybe that will become more apparent tonight when he and the Buckeyes take on Nebraska and its dual-threat QB, Taylor Martinez.

OSU coach Urban Meyer said that Miller already has proved himself to his teammates.

“They talk about it quite often — he’s not a guy that goes down easy,” Meyer said. “He’s going to fight for yards, and spin for yards.

“We’re trying to not necessarily teach him, but to have conversations with him about getting down at the appropriate times. So he is a very respected guy amongst our players, and that only enhanced it, that toughness during the course of that (MSU) game.”

The reason Meyer and his staff are counseling Miller about playing it smart when he runs, though, is because it was apparent what his limp-off at Nebraska last year meant to the team.

At MSU, Kenny Guiton replaced him capably for the last three plays of the Buckeyes’ opening touchdown drive. But as Meyer pointed out this week, even if Miller is banged up, they need him on the field in a game of this magnitude.

And he wants Miller to protect possession of the ball at all costs. The interception he threw and the two fumbles he lost at MSU should have been killers on the road, but Miller and the Buckeyes were able to overcome.

“‘I love you to death, take care of the football, and keep going.’” Meyer said was his message to Miller.

He doesn’t mind admitting, “I do — I love him.”

One reason being, the toughness that Miller has displayed going back into games this year instead of taking a seat on the bench.

“I know he gets a lot of recognition, I don’t follow a whole lot of it, but that is one tough football player,” Meyer said.

“Is he perfect? No, he’s so far from perfect, and so are we. But I like to fight for him, because the good thing is, when you do turn it over —I mean, that’s three times inside their area. But he makes you go hard.”